In a strapping tool of the type noted above, an actuating handle is provided, which is arranged to be manually oscillated. The handle rotates an output shaft, which actuates a series of cams, through means of an input shaft, to which the handle is coupled, and intermediate gears. The cams drive a series of punches, which punch interlockable shoulders into overlapped ends of the strap. Tremper et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,512 discloses a current example of such a strap having such a series of interlocking joints.
As disclosed in Nix U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,888, a strapping tool of the type noted above may incorporate a mechanism for converting oscillatory rotation of the input shaft to unidirectional rotation of the output shaft.